The Start of Something New
by Rose In the Darkness
Summary: Imagine that you were graduating from Hogwarts right after the Triwizard Tournament finished. The world you know isn't going to be the same... As Voldemort rises again, four young women try to find their place in wizarding society.
1. Chapter One: Belldani

The Start of Something New: Chapter One (Belldani)  
  
Hello! I'm Utena, and this is my baby, The Start of Something New.  
  
Its actually the third part of a trilogy, entitled 'My H.P. Fic', (a large notebook I lug everywhere), the first and second parts take place during Harry's 3rd and 4th year, respectively. This fic is taking place during Harry's 5th year, starting 1 month after school gets out. ,  
  
The only B.G. you really need is that there are four main original characters, Xathereth and Belldani Helide (twins, older first), and their cousins Kira and Karen Sumizone (again, older first, but theyre a year apart.) Belldani's been asked by Dumbledore to be Madam Pomfrey's assistant for the year, because she was in training to be a MediWitch her last two years. She's also been in love with her Potions Master for as long as she can remember, and no one else knows of her feelings for him.  
  
She and her sister are illegal Animagi (Xathereth is a phoenix), and near the end of the last term she made her own spell, Pictorias, that transports one into a portrait. (Quite useful, when you think how the portaits at Hogwarts are all interconnected.)  
  
Anywho, much thanks to Nytd for letting me borrow Lorien, she's going to turn up in later chapters (she's mentioned here already! I added the part with Sinistra as I was copying this chapter) and she's the one to credit for Sinistra's and Sprout's first names. Read her fic, A Witch, a Wolf and A Serpent if you haven't already! ^_^  
  
***Utena***  
  
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After a fortnight at her parents' house, Belldani Helide returned to Hogwarts as the assistant nurse to Madam Pomfrey. Professor McGonagall greeted her at the door.  
  
"Hello, Professor," she said awkwardly.  
  
"Come in," McGonagall said stiffly, and lead her inside. A group of house-elves approached.  
  
"May we be gettin' your bags, Mistress Helide?" one sqeaked, and she nodded. They lifted her trunks above their heads, and lead a weaving path down a side hallway to her rooms.  
  
"The Headmaster wishes to have a word with you before you settle in," McGonagall interceded, walking to the stone gargoyle that lead to Dumbledore's office and spoke the password. ("Peanut brittle")  
  
Belldani smiled to herself as she went up a long flight of stairs, remembering not too long ago when a wrong turn in a portait had led her to this same office. Soon she was at a door, which swung open before her.  
  
The other heads of houses, Madam Pomfrey and Hagrid were sitting around the office with the Headmaster.  
  
"At last!" Dumbledore motioned for her to enter and sit down, "We've been awaiting you, Mistress Helide."  
  
"Oh, I'm. I'm very sorry to keep you waiting," Belldani apologized.  
  
"First things first," Dumbledore began, "Belldani is here to be Madam Pomfrey's assistant for the upcoming year, Poppy is expecting to have to take a slight leave of absence because her sister is expecting. I expect everyone to treat her as an adult, and not a student," Dumbledore added, watching Sprout out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"My other concern, one that you all need to be aware of is that Harry Potter's relatives suffered an attack early this morning."  
  
"Oh dear," McGonagall sucked in her breath. Belldani tried to not roll her eyes, previous experience had taught her that Harry Potter managed to outlive anything. Being an illegal Animagus had it's advantages, as did a tricky charm she'd created that allowed one to enter the world of the portraits.  
  
"Now," Dumbledore continued, "In light of this, the safest place for Mr. Potter would be here at Hogwarts, because of it's many shields and whatnot, and that we have some of the most capable witches and wizards here to protect him, if need be." Out of the corner of her eye, Belldani saw Snape begin to look ill. Hagrid looked most delighted, Belldani recalled that he and Potter were good friends.  
  
"Due to the Muggle involvement in the attack - the poor fools called the police - it will not be until tomorrow afternoon when Mr. Potter shall be joining us. I myself shall be going to retrieve Harry, in case something should occur."  
  
"Brilliant," Snape murmured, low enough that Belldani barely caught his words. Dumbledore seemed to.  
  
"I have also written to Remus Lupin for the DADA position, with the war starting back up most of my other choices will be called upon by Fudge, once he realizes we do have a problem on our hands," Belldani could see remorse in the old man's eyes, "So sometime soon we will be expecting his arrival as well." Dumbledore turned to scan the titles off his bookshelf, and waved, dismissing them. Belldani had a feeling that she should wait, and she tried not to breath as Snape stormed past her, a look on his face that something vile had been rubbed into his food or something.  
  
"Now, Belldani," Dumbledore spoke kindly, "Here is a true map of Hogwarts, detailing all of the secret passages, and the staff's offices and rooms. Next to yours is the password to get in, to change it will also appear.  
  
"You'll be allowed the run of the castle until students arrive, be mindful of Mr. Potter's wearabouts, if you can, but you may go anywhere you choose, the Forbidden Forest included."  
  
"Professor, man I leave Hogwarts?" Belldani asked. Dumbledore laughed.  
  
"Certainly! There are brooms in the staff lounge, if you need one, and the school has its own Floo network, if that is what you need. Poppy should have the rest of the thing that you will need to know, and feel free to ask at any time."  
  
"Thank you very much, Professor Dumbledore, I'm so thrilled that I can get a job hear so soon after leaving Hogwarts as a student, my mother feels much more secure with me working here anyway." Dumbledore nodded, and Belldani excused herself to her rooms.  
  
Belldani's rooms were close to the hospital wing, and she threw open the thick velvet blue curtains and opened the window. A cool breeze began to blow in. She opened her trunks, which held more than one would think they would, removing from them a good hundred candles, which she stuck in glass jars around the room, and two cloaks - one heavy velvet with a warm lining, and the second, made of a cool material. They went on pegs by the door, and she removed her collection of books, filling the bookshelf built into the wall.  
  
"Knock, knock!" came a voice from the doorway, and Belldani looked up to see the Arthimancy professor, Sinistra, looking at her.  
  
"Hello," Belldani said, "You would be. Professor Sinistra, correct?"  
  
"Yes, my friends call me Ariel," she smiled, "So, you're the new nurse?" Belldani swallowed nervously.  
  
"Yes, yes I am.." she felt like she was on trial.  
  
"I see. And you're the best that Dumbledore could find? Really, I seem to recall discussion about a Nemorosi witch being a canidate." Sinistra looked around, and picked up a corset out of the trunk.  
  
"You plan on wearing this around the students?" She asked in disbelief, holding it by her thumb and forefinger.  
  
"Ye- yes, I make my own clothing." Belldani transfigured her robes into a deep red dress that buttoned from her neck to her midsection, and then split to reveal a black underskirt. She took the corset from Ariel and put it on over the start of the split.  
  
"See?" she offered, "I really love to design clothing, this is one of my favourite works.."  
  
"Indeed," Ariel looked around the room again, "How old are you, child?"  
  
"I'm eighteen, Ariel," Belldani did not like this Professor.  
  
"Of course," Ariel flashed a dangerous smile, "You are an eighteen year old witch who, by some reasons unknown, has been hired here at what was a prestigious school of magic. I feel that Dumbledore made a mistake to allow someone so young and inexperienced to have the position you have - to think! How would you react if a student ran in here right now, with leeches following out their ears? Or what if you had to tend to a 7th year, who was the same as you, child? Do you think you can keep the boundary between staff and students as drawn as we have kept it?"  
  
"Are you saying that I am not mature enough for such a responsibility?" Belldani demanded, "I have been Professor Snape's best student since my first year here! I spent all of last year learning from Madam Pomfrey! And I do believe that I can keep your line as drawn as ever, Ariel." Belldani did not get mad often, but her family knew that when provoked, she was menacing.  
  
"Good day, child," Professor Sinistra turned and was off down the hallway, her shoes clicking loudly. Belldani sank to the floor and sighed. She got up and closed the door, and glanced out the open window. The breeze seemed so inviting.  
  
She transformed into a onyx coloured raven, and flew outside. The cool summer breeze felt lovely through her feathers, and she soared to a high turret of the castle. There Belldani perched and listened to see what was going on. She dove down to the ground, and found an open window to the dungeons and perched there. Snape was pacing around. She tried to act bird- like , sitting there. He noticed her, and strode up to the intruder.  
  
"Do you think yourself clever?" he asked the bird. Belldani twittered nervously. "Once one has become an Animagus, there is a certain look the animal has. It is never quite natural." Belldani tried to not show emotion.  
  
"Whomever you are, ravens would never just land on this particular windowsill, so close to the ground, and come inside." Snape mumbled more things, and his wand was next to her neck.  
  
"Show yourself, Animagus," he growled, and Belldani felt compelled to transform. She became human in a sitting position, and was looking down at Snape from the high windowsill. He looked shocked. "You weren't expecting me, were you?" She asked curiously.  
  
"No." Snape looked at her with curiousity, "Not many students are illegal Animagi."  
  
"Not many students are on staff," Belldani countered, wondering if she had made the right decision, if the staff was really against her being there.  
  
"You're no longer a student," Snape remarked, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. Belldani knew her face had flared red.  
  
"Yeah, try telling that to Ariel Sinistra," she muttered, jumping down off the windowsill.  
  
"I am to assume then that she chose to be the welcoming wagon?" he said wearily, adding, "Professor Sinistra is hardly a friend of mine either."  
  
"Does all of the staff feel that I am too immature to be working as Madam Pomfrey's assistant?" Belldani asked, brushing dust off her clothes and heading to the door.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore feels that he has made the right choice," Snape told her retreating form, "As do I," he added, causing her to turn and look back at him, "Poppy too, we all feel that you are deserving of the position you now hold."  
  
"And what of the rest of the staff?" Belldani inquired, walking towards Snape again.  
  
"Most of them feel that your age, and the fact that you have been a Hogwarts student until a fortnight ago, are charges against you. They feel that a few years would make you seem more of an . adult to the student body, once any younger friends of yours have left, I assume."  
  
"I get it." Belldani looked away, "They think that the students won't get the picture that I am a teacher now."  
  
"Precisely," Snape said, "However, you are quite possibly the best student I've ever had, and Dumbledore has made it clear on where he stands." Snape gently put a hand on her arm. Belldani started towards the window.  
  
"I think I have to be getting back to my rooms, Professor," she spoke, "I will see you at dinner." Belldani waved quickly and transfigured herself into her raven form, taking off up to her wide-open window. She landed on the floor and transfigured back, and grabbed quill and paper.  
  
IXathereth,  
  
Tell Mum I got here alright, and everything's fine. Good luck at your new job tomorrow, sis, I wish you all the best. I have to go, but just wanted to drop you a line.  
  
Belldani/I 


	2. Chapter Two: Xathereth

Chapter Two: Xathereth  
  
I'm starting this before I can get a response to the first chapter yet, so hopefully this is going over well. I'm actually a phsycotic typist, you can hear me pounding away in the next room. With a closed door. A word of advice: never leave ramen noodles on the stove boiling for god knows how long. They turn to mush.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~ Xathereth brushed her short redish- brown hair into two buns, and got dressed. She glanced at Belldani's empty bed.  
  
"It sure is quiet without that loudmouth in here snoring away," she muttered to her mirror.  
  
"Of course dear," It replied. Pocketing her Apparition license, she hurried down the stairs of her family's small Strandford-upon-Avon home to grab a cup of tea.  
  
"Morning Mum," she said cheerfully, sipping the herbal tea her mother made.  
  
"Good luck at the job today," her father said over the morning Daily Prophet. Xathereth gave both her parents a kiss on the cheek, and handed a letter to her mother.  
  
"Mum, this came last night from Bell, I think she might write more today," Xathereth set down the teacup and slipped on her shoes. "I will return with a job!" She laughed, and Disapperated.  
  
Appearing in the Ministry of Magic, Xathereth paused to get her bearings.  
  
"Out of the way, Department of International Magical Cooperation coming through!" said a voice from behind her, and she stepped out of the way to be passed by a man with reddish hair, wearing dark green robes that were starched to the point that they didn't move as he walked.  
  
"Lovely," thought Xathereth, "Truly splendid place to work." She looked at a guidepost stuck into the middle of the shiny marble tile of the main entrance of the Ministry. It clashed with the surrounding decor, but no one seemed to mind.  
  
"Let's see." Xathereth said out loud, "Department of Magical Creatures." She scanned the arrows shooting off the post in literally all directions. It was up near the top, and it jutted off in a north-easterly direction.  
  
"Duco Department of Magical Creatures!" Xathereth whispered, and a streak of blue light shot off from the tip of her wand. She set off after it.  
  
That afternoon Xathereth Apparated home to Stratford, and collapsed on the sofa.  
  
"Did you get the job, dear?" her mother asked, walking into the room.  
  
"I got the job, now I don't know if I want it," she admitted, "I was the only one applying, but then they put me to work. This guy who was Head Boy of the class above mine at school , Percy Weasley is out to make my life miserable because I'm not 'dressing like a respectable witch', the boss is nice, but the office is a mess right now, with paperwork, and the other departments keep sending people to get things that I don't even know where they are because it wasn't even my first full day!" Xathereth put a pillow over her face and screamed.  
  
"Welcome to the working world, Princess," her father said with a grimace as he walked out of his office. Xathereth's father was a copy editor for the Daily Prophet. He started complaining to his wife about the latest articles - "Pathetic, really, rubbish in all - got worse from that Skeeter, wherever she's buggered off to" while Xathereth found her headphones and turned on the WWN.  
  
As Mrs. Helide prepared dinner, and Mr. Helide ranted about the problems of the modern wizard publishing world, Xathereth bounced up the stairs to write a letter to her twin, singing along to her favourite Weird Sisters song, 'Takes One to Know One'.  
  
Dearest Little Sister Bell,  
  
We are all very glad to hear that you got to Hogwarts, safe and sound. Mum was especially glad to know, since you took the Knight Bus, due to your lack of an Apparition liscense. Yes yes, I know that you can't apparate or disapparate onto Hogwarts ground, no need to remind me. But the conductor on the bus looked so awful, it must have been a deary ride.  
  
I got my job!!! I'm the secretary to the head of the Department of Magical Creatures. My first day was awful, you're so lucky, I bet yours was wonderful. Everyone expected me to know how to find what they needed in the office that I have to clean up from a total mess! To top that off, there's a total prick working there - remember Percy Weasley? - He has had the nerve to question my clothing several times already today. I am going to hex him, I swear.  
  
Mum is making dinner, and Papa's complaining about work as always - So write back soon! We're all waiting to hear from you!  
  
Xathereth  
  
The young witch took a quick look at the letter, and folded it and attached it to the leg of her snowy owl, Buttons. Buttons flew out the window, and Xathereth sighed. "There's nothing to do!" she yelled in frustration, flopping onto her bed.  
  
Two weeks later, Xathereth found that she had too much to do in too little time. "I cannot seriously believe how much work a *secretary* does at home!" she whined. 


	3. Chapter Three: Kira

Chapter Three: Kira  
  
Thank you for your first review, Nytd. ^_^ And thanks also to Susan, who was happy to critique the first two chapters last night. (and I love you, btw, for making my dress! You're an angel. I *will* make you cookies!) This FF.net version is quite a bit different from the original, it's going into more details and thus taking it slower.  
  
Kira is the older cousin (by a year) to Belldani and Xathereth, and she's on the Puddlemere United Quidditch team. For almost the past year, she's been secretly seeing Oliver Wood, who is on the reserve team. (as anyone who read Goblet of Fire knows. if you have and you didn't know that, MEMORIZE THE BOOKS like I did!) . Ahem. sorry. I don't have much of a life.  
  
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"Quidditch is over for the summer." Kira laughed, laying back in the grass at the Puddlemere United team boarding house. She looked up and watched Oliver wash the goal posts.  
  
"Isn't it fun to be Keeper, Oliver?" she called out. He looked down.  
  
"Swell," he remarked, and finished washing and grabbed his wand, magically drying the posts and adding a fresh coat of paint. He descended to the ground.  
  
"What did you have to do?" he asked, noticing she was one of the only people not working on restoring the practice field to its original state.  
  
"I polished the Snitch," Kira laughed, knowing Oliver would get upset. He did.  
  
"That's not fair!" he sputtered, "Every person is to do their fair share!"  
  
"Of course," Kira grinned, "I cleaned the part of the game that I use, you cleaned the part that you use, and everyone else is fixing the components of the game that their position uses."  
  
"Yes, wonderful, isn't it?" Oliver muttered, laying down on the grass beside her, adding, "It feels good to rest."  
  
"You know, we've got a *whole* month off before we have to come back here for next season." Kira babbled, "Do you want to do something in the between time?"  
  
Oliver didn't answer. Kira felt stupid, and sat up. Glancing at Oliver, she realized he had fallen asleep.  
  
The team sat down for its last dinner that night. Kira was at the end of the table for the first team, and Oliver was at the other with the reserve team. The captain of the first team, Marcus Wentworth stood up.  
  
"I would like to propose a toast," he said, holding up his glass of butterbeer - alcohol wasn't permitted in the Puddlemere United boarding house, "To each and every person who has contributed to this team this year." He looked at them all.  
  
"We didn't make it to first place. Alright, we lost in the second round of the British Cup tournament, but the point is, we *tried*. I have seen each and every one of us put their heart and soul into their game when it mattered most. We've come a long way from the team we have been - but I know that we can go all the way to the Cup, maybe not next season, but the season after that.  
  
I know that each and every one of us has what it takes. Tomorrow morning we are all leaving, but I'll be back in September, and I hope that there will be nothing to stop the rest of this team from joining me back on our practice pitch."  
  
Marcus cleared his throat, and raised his glass high.  
  
"To Puddlemere United!" he cried, and the rest of the team echoed, "To Puddlemere United!" Some of the portraits even looked touched.  
  
After the meal, Kira went back up to her room and finished packing her trunk. She set aside just what she would need for the morning. Kira went over to the window and looked out into the gardens.  
  
There was a knock at the door. Kira turned.  
  
"Oh, hi Oliver," she said, turning back to the gardens to watch them light up from the fireflies and pixies that were awakening.  
  
"I was wondering." Oliver asked from the doorway, "Would you care to go for a walk with me?"  
  
Kira thought for a second, and grabbed her cloak.  
  
"Sure," she smiled at him, and let him lead the way outside.  
  
"There sure are a lot of. fireflies." Oliver managed to say as they wandered through the thick foliage surrounding the team's boarding house.  
  
"Yeah." Kira replied, content to watch the tiny pixies darting among the flowers. She could tell that Oliver was edgy about something, which made her feel a bit nervous.  
  
"Listen, Kira." Oliver stopped and turned to look at her, "There's something I want to talk to you about."  
  
"Yes?" Kira asked hesitantly. They had stopped by a stone bench, so she sat down and he followed suit.  
  
"I know. that there's that rule. Rule 574, the one about. league players being banned from. you know."  
  
"Marrying?" Kira asked, which came out as a squeak. Oliver laughed, and nodded, relaxing a bit.  
  
"I want to marry you, Kira, but unless one of us quits the league we can't." Oliver had become quiet, and he was looking at the ground.  
  
"Oh Oliver." Kira stared at him, her mind racing. She leaned over and kissed him. Blah blah blah blah.  
  
"Kira, you would really want to marry me?" Oliver asked, face flushed.  
  
"Yes, I do- er, I would!" Kira whispered happily, already imagining a fancy wedding with half the wizarding world in attendance, though she knew in her head that it would be several years before that would happen.  
  
"I. I heard of this Muggle place near the Scottish border." Oliver looked into her eyes, "It's called Gretna Green. Muggle young people have gone there for years to run away and be wed. You just sign a registry, and they marry you, you needn't have any forms or certificates or anything. The wizarding world wouldn't know.  
  
"We could leave tonight, if you wanted to, and be there by morning. Of course, the marriage would have to be a complete secret, but still it." Oliver trailed off.  
  
"Not tonight," Kira spoke, "My parents are expecting me home, and family business, you know."  
  
"Yeah, tonight would be a bit too hard to pull off." Oliver murmured thoughtfully. Kira looked up at the night sky.  
  
"How about a week from tonight?" she said softly. Oliver looked up at the sky as well.  
  
"Where would we meet?" he asked. Kira furrowed her brows in thought.  
  
"Can you get to Diagon Alley?" she responded, and he pondered for a while.  
  
"Yes, and I could come up with the excuse that I was staying to visit friends for a few days," he added.  
  
"Smashing," Kira smiled excitedly, "I'll owl you later in the week with directions to my family's flat. Everyone is gone during the day, so once I find out when the house is empty, I'll let you know to come pick me up at that time."  
  
"How will you be able to be gone for a day or so?" Oliver pointed out. Kira smiled again.  
  
"I can tell my mum and dad that I'm going to visit my cousin Belldani for a few days, and that she's coming to pick me up because she's been hired at Hogwarts, and I have to be with her to use the school's Floo network."  
  
"Excellent," Oliver leaned in and snogged her again.  
  
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A/N: Are there fireflies in Great Britain? If not, let's play pretend and make believe that there are. Thank you very much, Nytd, for mentioning this in your latest chapter. (Did you know that there are Harry Potter n the Socerer's Stone coffee mugs - some have Snape on them!) (The book Snape, but still.) 


	4. Chapter Four: Karen

Chapter Four: Karen  
  
Thank you to Nytd, I appreciate the comments! School starts for me in a week, so hopefully between now and then I can write a chapter or two a day (I'm trying, how bout that?) After this, it's not going to go in order, because the girls agreed that if something really exciting is happening to one of them, it's not fair to stop and tell about someone else's boring day and have you miss something important elsewhere. (Aren't they sweet?)  
  
In something totally unrelated, I got my Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone movie posters in the mail today. (The one with Severus on it, of course) - they have some at www.art.com, check it out! (They have Chamber of Secrets already, but it's got Dobby on it, and his movie appearance is frightening, I wouldn't be able to sleep in the same room as that poster.)  
  
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Karen grinned as she walked into her new office.  
  
"I don't understand what Xathereth thinks is bad about working at the Ministry," she said to herself, as she started to sort through all the letters on her desk, "Although, Mr. Bagman has some funny rules."  
  
Karen thought back to her first day at work.  
  
"Now, Miss Sumizone, you see that your office contains the door to mine. Please let anyone who wishes to see me know that they must have an appointment first, and that I have stepped out of the office at the moment and to owl me later."  
  
"Owl you later. Right," Karen noticed how fidgety he seemed.  
  
"And I also ask that you keep as meticulous accounts as you can, in relation to the funds of this department."  
  
"Alright then, every Knut will be accounted for," Karen tried to not roll her eyes.  
  
Now, Karen saw reasons for his fidgetiness. A group of goblins had been by to see him several times already, and she had turned them away, saying that Mr. Bagman wasn't in the office at the moment. She had a feeling that he was cowering under his desk or some such , as as soon as they had left the last time, Karen went into Mr. Bagman's office to find him brushing dust off his robes and muttering something about dropping a quill. It was believable, except for the jar of quills on his desk.  
  
People had been by to see the department's accounts recently too, Karen recalled, and she confidently gave them the ledgers that she had put together, neatly written and everything accounted for. When they had inquired about the previous summer, that involved the piles of paper tied together.  
  
"There is definitely something not right with Ludo Bagman," Karen thought to herself as she went over those things in her mind. There was a knock at the door, disrupting Karen from her thoughts.  
  
"Yes?" She asked, looking up.  
  
"Ezcuz me, mizz," said a grubby-looking man who spoke with a cockney accent, "Can yeh be takin' me to Bertha Jorkins' office?"  
  
"Yeah, hang on," Karen put her quill back in the inkwell, and covered her letter. She really wasn't supposed to be working on personal things at work, anyway.  
  
She led the man, who wore robes with the Ministry's seal on them, down the short hallway to a tiny office across from the small break room/storage room that belonged to her department.  
  
"Eh, the door's locked," the man grumbled after fumbling with the knob for a minute or two.  
  
"Can't you use your wand to unlock it?" Karen asked impatiently.  
  
"I eh.. can't do magic," the man managed, and Karen realized that the man was a Squib. She had heard rumors that Filch, the caretaker at Hogwarts, was one too.  
  
"Must be why he's a janitor at the Ministry," Karen thought to herself as she unlocked the door. He had a magic bag, it seemed, because she watched as he opened it out on the floor and pushed the desk and the other furniture into it, where it dissappeared.  
  
"You remind me of my son," the man spoke as he struggled with a filing cabinet bursting with papers.  
  
"How so?" Karen asked as she levitated the heavy cabinet for him into the bag.  
  
"He's a good wizard, like I'm not," the man sighed as he folded up the bag, "Yeh, it don't look like it but I was married to a witch when I lived back in France. She couldn't take any more of my non-magic ways, and divorced me. I had to leave the country, stayed with my brother for a while. then the child support kicked in and now look at me." He smiled at Karen, and she tried not to wince at his bad teeth.  
  
"I've got to be going, nice to meet you," the man waved as he walked down the hallway, "You seem like a nice girl, maybe I'll bring my son by sometime." and he walked out of the department.  
  
Karen walked back into her office and sat down at her desk. She leaned back in her chair and looked at the light coming in the window and dancing on the ceiling.  
  
"That was the weirdest thing I've ever been a part of," she spoke out loud, "I really ought to ask Mr. Bagman why they removed Bertha's things. and that man was so strange. I seem like a nice girl and he's going to bring his son by? I don't need to know his life story. I don't blame his wife for divorcing him though. He was a strange duck." Karen saw how the sun was lowering in the sky.  
  
"Might as well tell Mr. Bagman what happened," she thought, and opened the door to Ludo's office. Her boss sat at his desk, looking nervous and scared. He was surrounded by people Karen recognized as 'Very Important Ministry Officials', by the way that they were dressed, and they were all yelling at Mr. Bagman about, strangely enough, Bertha Jorkins.  
  
Karen closed the door again and sat back down at her desk.  
  
"Well. it is almost five o' clock." she thought out loud, as she had gotten used to doing in the relatively quiet department, "I could just go in there to let him know that I'm leaving early. That's not really intruding." Karen knew she didn't want to get involved in any of her boss' problems, she had enough of her own, thank you very much.  
  
"Mr. Bagman?" Karen stuck her head inside the door to Ludo's office, "I'm just letting you know that I'm leaving now, ok?" Everyone turned to look at her.  
  
"Yes, yes, fine Miss Sumizone," Ludo looked distressed as he waved her away, pulling at his hair and then returned to staring at something on his desk. Karen closed the door and grabbed her things, Dissapparating to her family's flat.  
  
"*Oliver!*"  
  
Karen raised an eyebrow as she heard her sister giggling in the living room.  
  
"Kira?" she called out. There was some scrambling coming from the living room, and Karen hesitantly opened the door. Her sister was retreating to an overstuffed burgundy chair in the corner, and on the sofa was a young man who Karen recalled to be Oliver Wood.  
  
"What's going on in here?" Karen asked, noticing they both had red faces, "I'm not as retarded as Mum and Dad you know, sis."  
  
"Well uhh." Kira looked from Karen to Oliver. Karen saw Oliver make a face to Kira, and Kira nodded and she wasn't totally getting what they were communicating.  
  
"OK," Oliver said at last, after much gesturing between himself and Kira, "We've got something to tell you."  
  
"That was obvious," Karen rolled her eyes.  
  
"This is serious!" Kira had a pleading look on her face, "You can't tell Mum and Dad, or anyone else. It's a complete secret."  
  
Karen sat down on the other chair.  
  
"What is it? I won't tell anyone, Kira, you should know me better than that," Karen felt hurt that her sister would doubt her.  
  
"Oliver and I." Kira cleared her throat, "We've decided that we're going to elope."  
  
The room was silent for a minute.  
  
"Wow, and I thought you were going to say you were expecting or something," Karen looked surprised.  
  
"You can't tell anyone, we're just both going to go visit friends for a few days, and when we come back it's going to be the same as before, no one can know we were married." Oliver told her.  
  
"Is it because of Rule 579?" Karen asked after a brief thought over the Quidditch league rules.  
  
"Yeah," Kira was running her fingers over the flowers in the fabric in the chair, "It's stupid, but there's no other way."  
  
"Alright, I won't tell," Karen promised, hoping that she wouldn't regret it, "And who knows, I might be able to get 579 lifted at work. Things could happen."  
  
Kira ran to give Karen a hug.  
  
"Thank you so much," the older sister told the younger. Karen hugged her back, and grinned.  
  
"You two can keep snogging now, I'm going to go put away my things in my room," she teased, and closed the living room door behind her. In her mind she could only hope she was doing the right thing.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~ Thank you for being patient! I know I'm being slow. R/R! ~ Luv , Utena ~ 


	5. Chapter Five: Belldani - I Don't Need to...

Chapter Five: Belldani : I Don't Need To Be.  
  
My original plan was to kick some story butt when ff.net goes down. Haha. I'm going to my friend's cabin for the weekend, so I'm taking a break along with the servers.  
  
Quick notes. This chapter I think should be taking place the same day as Chapter Four. (Going by the calendar in my head.) Anyone who knows the original story (in my notebook). YES I know this isn't the same. Almost at all. Complain and I'll bite you. ^_^ Now that that's taken care of. R/R! ~Utena~  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~  
  
Belldani quietly closed the lid of her trunk and sank to the floor.  
  
"I should have known." she sighed, looking around the bare room. There was a knock at the door, which Belldani had magically locked.  
  
"Exostrae," she pointed her wand at the door, and it shimmered, revealing to her the person on the other side of it, without her visitor knowing. She was surprised that Professor Snape was standing outside her door. Belldani waved her hand at the door, which was unlocked only by her magic.  
  
"It's open, Severus," she called, and a surprised Snape entered.  
  
"How did you know it was me?" he asked warily. Belldani smiled sweetly.  
  
"A little charm I know." she explained, "It's the Peephole charm."  
  
"The Peephole charm?" Snape raised an eyebrow as he glanced around the room.  
  
"I found it in an old medieval book, it lets you see who's on the other side of the door without opening it." Belldani got up and waved her wand at the candles around the room, which went out and went into a small box in the only open trunk.  
  
"May I ask what you are doing, Miss Helide?" Snape asked in her ear. He touched her elbow softly, and Belldani felt goosepimples go up her back.  
  
"I'm - I'm leaving Hogwarts, Severus," she spoke softly. He moved away, and Belldani realized she had been holding her breath.  
  
"What is making you leave?" he questioned, sitting on the edge of the chair by the bookshelf. Belldani turned, and didn't say anything. She reached to take a book off the shelf, but was stopped by Severus grabbing her hand.  
  
"Why are you leaving?" he repeated more forcefully, and Belldani sighed.  
  
"It's Sinistra," she told him, looking in his eyes, "It's the rest of the staff. They make me feel so unwelcome. That I'm not ready to be here."  
  
"So you're just going to run away?" Severus asked incredulously, letting go of her hand and crossing his arms.  
  
"I'm not running away," Belldani countered, and handed him a piece of parchment. The seal at the top was that of St. Mungo's Hospital. "I've been offered a position there on the night shift. It's not much, but I shall get some experience and . and maybe I'll come back."  
  
She watched as he quickly read the letter.  
  
"They've given you a list of available flats in the area too, how convenient," he commented. Severus looked at the circled flat listing.  
  
"This isn't a good area, you know," Snape looked at her, "Don't you have relatives you could move it with? Or commute from home?"  
  
Belldani felt the butterflies in her stomach start another Quidditch match as she tried to figure out where his concern was coming from.  
  
"I don't want to move in with my aunt, and I failed the Apparition test," she replied, "I'll be fine, really, I'm a big girl and as a matter of fact, no one is to know that I'm moving at all."  
  
"Really?" Severus moved close again, his surprisingly warm breath was on the back of her neck now. Belldani could hear the voices in her head screaming.  
  
"I want to tell you something," Belldani choked out, feeling Severus so close to her was making her nervous, "I. I don't want to leave. to leave you, Severus." She winced, hearing him draw in his breath.  
  
"You fancy me?" he asked, but there was none of the mocking tone that Belldani expected. It was not quite relief, but perhaps joy or happiness, although Belldani couldn't be sure as she had never heard the professor expressing either of those emotions.  
  
"Yes." Belldani sighed, hanging her head.  
  
"I'm overjoyed to hear that," was the reply she heard, and an arm slipped around her waist. Bell's heart jumped to her throat, and he touched her chin with his forefinger and thumb, turning her face to his.  
  
"Ohmigod," Belldani thought as her mind struggled to realize what was happening.  
  
His lips met hers, kissing her softly. Belldani's eyes widened.  
  
"My. first kiss." crossed her mind as she closed her eyes and attempted to kiss him back. After a moment that lasted forever for Belldani, Severus pulled away. Belldani stared into his onyx eyes.  
  
"Severus." she managed to whisper, transfixed by his eyes on her. Reality set in, and she moved away from him. "I can't."  
  
"Can't what?" his eyes never left her as she crossed the room to light a fire.  
  
"I can't do this," Belldani told him, as she closed the last of her three trunks, "I can't start something with you, not now."  
  
"Why?" Severus whipped out his wand and the door, while already shut, reverberated with a silencing charm. "Why did you let me do that then?"  
  
"I'm sorry," Belldani stared at the floor, "I just. I really do fancy you, Severus. And I wanted to kiss you. But I've never been in a real relationship before."  
  
"I seem to recall a Roger Davies hanging around during your sixth year," Snape strode to the window and looked out.  
  
"A sixteen year old boy who tells you that he asked you out because he wants to go all the way with a girl who isn't half ugly is hardly a real boyfriend, Severus," Belldani countered. She joined him at the window.  
  
"I've always fancied you, Severus. maybe if I go away for a while, I can figure out for myself if what I feel is a schoolgirl crush type of thing, or not." Belldani cleared her throat, "While I'm away. may I count you as a friend?"  
  
Severus turned.  
  
"Of course," he touched her cheek, "I hope this will amount to more than nothing, Miss Helide, but I shall be your friend. Keeping you out of my mind shall be difficult." Belldani managed a smile.  
  
"Since we are friends, Severus.." she glanced out the window, "I must ask that you keep a secret for me."  
  
"That you are an illegal Animagus?" he questioned, "Of course, if you will keep a small one of mine as well."  
  
"Which is.?" Belldani wondered what was hidden behind his cold eyes. He pushed back the sleeve of his robes, to reveal the Dark Mark.  
  
Belldani took a tiny step back.  
  
"You're a Death Eater," she tried to not show the fear she felt, that was instinctive to her, raised in the wizarding world.  
  
"I am Dumbledore's spy in Lord Voldemort's army," Severus said slowly, "It is a most dangerous thing to do, but my true loyalties lie with the Order of the Phoenix." Belldani nodded.  
  
"I will write, I promise," she told him, and reached into the small jar on the mantel of the fireplace and pulled out a handful of Floo powder.  
  
"Goodbye, Severus," she spoke, and turned to the flames, calling out "St. Mungo's!" Belldani felt the cool flames whip around her face, and she stumbled out of a fireplace in the lobby of the infamous magical hospital. She quickly summoned her trunks from Hogwarts, and grabbed the parchment with directions to the flat.  
  
"Goodbye Severus." she echoed inside that night as she mailed a letter to Dumbledore, asking that he perform a Memory Charm on the Potions Master to remove from his mind any memory of his feelings for her. It was really better that way, she told herself, and then crawled into bed, feeling hollow inside, trying to deny the pain she felt at what she was doing to herself and to Severus.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~ Please no "aaaaaah!" or "Utena they kissed! That's sick!" (and you know who you are!). Also, Belldani is feeling nervous and scared through most of this, neither of us are very confident in matters of the heart. Dumbledore does perform the Memory Charm, so Snape has no recall of ever having romantic feelings for Belldani, and he thinks of her as just being a friend. I might do his POV in another chapter. just a thought. ~Utena~ 


End file.
